00:00In a shocking turn of events, Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, said it has uncovered
00:11a troubling scheme in which Russian citizens were allegedly coerced by Ukrainian intelligence
00:16into committing acts of sabotage and terrorism. According to news reports, Ukrainian operatives
00:23reportedly used phone scams to pressure vulnerable individuals, ranging from young adults to the
00:29elderly into carrying out illegal acts. The scheme allegedly began with financial fraud,
00:36giving the perpetrators leverage to coerce victims into sabotage. In some cases, victims
00:42were even instructed to perform actions framed as tests of counterterrorism readiness or to
00:49carry out attacks on critical infrastructure. TASS reported that the FSB has detained 10 Russian
00:55nationals across five regions, Comey, Astrakhan, Vologda, Volgograd, and Krasnodar.
01:02According to the agency, these individuals set fire to law enforcement vehicles and disrupted
01:07operations at energy and transport facilities under the direction of what they believe to
01:12be security officials. Investigators say the victims were contacted by people posing as Russian law
01:18enforcement officers. They were allegedly coerced into committing crimes under threat of being charged
01:24with treason, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in Russia on
01:29the false accusation of financing the Ukrainian armed forces. The FSB has warned that Ukrainian
01:36intelligence services are increasingly targeting Russian citizens online through social media and
01:42messaging apps, exploiting their vulnerability to push them into serious criminal activities.
01:47Remember that law enforcement officers, security services, the prosecutor's office, the federal
01:55financial monitoring service, Rosfin monitoring, Russia's central bank, and the portal of government
02:02services would never call citizens via WhatsApp, telegram, or other messaging apps, provide photographs of
02:09their documents, inquire about passport and bank card data, request verification codes, or remotely
02:16recruit them to participate in operational work and other activities. Be vigilant.
02:24Criminal cases have been opened against the detainees under multiple articles of the Russian
02:29criminal code, covering attempted terrorist acts, sabotage, and other serious offenses, carrying potential
02:37sentences of up to 20 years in prison. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov has noted a significant rise in
02:43sabotage and terror acts allegedly orchestrated by Ukrainian special services within Russia. Authorities,
02:50meanwhile, are urging citizens to remain vigilant and cautious when approached online or through
02:56messaging platforms. As the investigation is currently ongoing, the FSB continued to stress the risks of
03:03online manipulation and coercion, urging the public to verify all contacts claiming to represent official agencies.
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